Passing Notes
by barnes1917
Summary: And to think, this all started with one little note. / Rucas fluff, mentioned Joshaya, T for a few swear words.
1. Chapter 1

_**I found this prompt on tumblr somewhere and it screamed college!Rucas to me, so this was born! I have it all written out so the wait between updates shouldn't be very long. Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!**_

 _ **DC; I don't own anything. Except maybe the nickname for Missy, because I came up with it by myself lmao.**_

* * *

He hadn't intended for it to go this far — nor had she. It had all started so innocently, just to help pass the long hours spent in the library, to add a little humor into their days. They never expected... _this_ to come out of passing simple little notes in books.

It all started two months into their freshman year of college, on a crisp Wednesday afternoon.

* * *

Riley Matthews sighed as she shoved a book in its place at NYU's Library. She finally got a job on campus, which seemed easy but proved to be quite tiring. Walking from one end of the ginormous library to the other end to put books back in their original places really took its toll on her ( _awkwardly long_ ) limbs. She was fine doing the work by herself – _she really was_ – but she was relieved to learn that the librarian had hired another freshman to help out a mere week after she got the job.

"Riley, I left a stack of books on the south end of the library for you to put up."

"Okay. I'll get right to it, Miss Stewart," The younger of the two replied, already making her way to the south end to shelf books. _The sooner, the better._

"By the way, I hired another freshman to re-shelf books. He starts in an hour, but I'm going to need you to show him the ropes because I have to leave in ten."

"Oh. Okay. Yeah, I can do that." She smiled politely before going to shelf the books Miss Stewart had previously mentioned.

It wasn't a _small_ _stack_ of books, Riley learned when she approached the south end of the library, it was a _mountain_ of books. She let out an almost-inaudible whine - _she_ was _in the library, after all_ \- and started sorting the books into categories to put them up in a more efficient way.

Forty five minutes passed and she was only halfway done with the mountain of books when a boy behind her uttered a polite "Ma'am?"

She stuffed the Martin Luther King Jr. Biography onto its shelf and then turned to face the boy. He was tall, almost six foot, with dirty blonde hair, a strong jawline, and wore relaxed jeans, a flannel and a plain white tee under it. Her eyes widened when she took in just how handsome he was; she barely held back an awkward giggle. "Can I - um, can I help you with anything?" She mentally kicked herself for how goofy she was acting; but the boy didn't seem to mind. It almost looked as if he found it cute.

"Are you Riley Matthews?" He had a slight southern accent and _boy, was it hot._

"Yes, that's me." She grinned up at him, all goofy and bright eyes. "Why?"

He let his eyes wander over her face as she smiled before he realized he took a moment too long to speak and blushed just the slightest.

"Um. I'm the new guy; the librarian told me to find you. She said you'd show me around." He kept staring at Riley. _He couldn't help it,_ _she was beautiful._

"Oh! Yeah. Well, do you want a full on tour or just the gist of things?"

"A tour would be nice," he gave her a grin and she felt her cheeks heat up.

"Okay. Right this way, then."

They spent the next hour walking around the library; the first half Riley spent explaining the job to him, the last half they spent talking and laughing. He listened carefully, silently admiring her beauty. She wore very little make up and had a pen stuck in her messy updo; but the most outstanding thing about her was her smile. _He just couldn't stop staring._

"And uh, that's really all there is to it. We can split the library right down the middle, which is the biography shelves and the sci-fi shelves, to make it easier." The brunette stopped walking and looked up at the boy. "Whatever books go on my side you can just sit on the bottom two rows of the book drop off, and whatever books go on your side I'll put on the top two rows. That okay?"

He smiled, nodding. "Yeah. Sounds good to me. I um, guess I'll start on that stack of books in the back."

"Okay. Well- bye." She smiled and gave a little awkward wave, then turned around to go to her side of the library.

* * *

When she went to check her rows on the book drop off shelf and put a few books on his rows, she saw three books on her shelf. She set the books that go on the other half of the library on his shelves. Then she opened the first book on hers to check for any library cards and saw a small piece of notebook paper with her name on it. Opening it, it read;

 _The name's Lucas Friar. Sorry telling you my name slipped my mind earlier, but you distracted me with your smile. I like it. Thanks for the tour._

 _-Lucas_

Riley glanced around to make sure no one saw her slip the note into her back pocket. She found a stray piece of paper on a nearby desk and pulled out the pen that rested behind her ear to carefully write a note back to him.

 _You're very welcome for the tour. Nice name, by the way._

 _-Riley_

 _P.S Thank you. I like your smile too._

She folded up the note and wrote his name on it, then put it in one of the books on his shelf.

And that was it for the week. She didn't expect another note, nor had she thought to leave one. She spent her weekend with her best friend Maya, watching silly cartoons and finishing up any assignments due soon, and only once did the boy from the library cross her mind.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Thanks for all the follows and such, you guys!**_

 _ **DC; I don't own anything really...**_

* * *

On the next Monday afternoon, Lucas smiled as he passed Riley in the library. "Hey."

"Hi." She smiled back. And remembering what he'd said about her smile, she blushed and looked down to hide it. They both kept walking.

She put up the stray books left on tables in the library before checking the book drop off. She grabbed as many as she could from her shelves and put them in their places. When she got back to get the rest, only a single book remained.

She grabbed it, opened it to check for any forgotten library cards, like she always does, and found a small piece of folded up paper with her name on it.

She unfolded and read it.

 _How was your weekend?_

 _-Lucas_

Riley smiled and went into the office to find a piece of paper and a pen to write back. She stuck the note in one of his books and went to her last class of the day.

* * *

Lucas opened his last book, to check for forgotten library cards like Riley suggested, and found a sticky note.

 _Good. Spent it with my best friend. Yours?_

 _-Riley_

He grabbed the small notebook and pen out of his back pocket and scrawled out a response.

And that's how it all began.

* * *

"Riles, what the hell are all these notes? Have you ever thought of actually speaking to him? Maybe giving him your number?" Maya asked her best friend, going through the notes piled up on the brunette's desk. She read one where he complimented her laugh and another where he'd invited her for coffee somewhere, and rolled her eyes. _Riles was so clueless sometimes_.

"No! We have a perfectly good thing going here, why ruin it?!" Riley shouted from her bed.

"Because something better could happen, like with-"

"You and Josh aren't the best example. He drunk called you and confessed his feelings, then slept with you the next day after you told him you still love him, and then you realized it was too late to take anything back so now you two are eight months strong." She cut the blonde off, slightly confused about the entire situation despite knowing all the details. "That is _not_ going to happen with me and Lucas-from-the-library."

" _Lucas-from-the-library_?" She snorted. "Really? Are you kidding me right now?"

"Don't judge me! I don't know him well enough for us to be on a first name basis!"

"You've been passing these notes every day for months." The blonde scanned over a random note she'd picked up. "-" _I like your smile_ ," Riley, the guy totally likes you! I don't get why you haven't asked him out yet."

" _Because_!" She shouted as she fell backwards on her bed. "He's too cute. I get all giggly when I look at him. I can barely even talk. One time he said hey and I swear to god I just let out this dumb little giggle and all he did was smile and leave. _I'm such a weirdo_."

"Yes. _But_ , you're an adorable little weirdo."

"Dawh, thanks, peaches."

"No problem, pumpkin. Now go ask out library boy."

"No!"

* * *

"I'm telling you, she's totally into you! So just ask her out already! You've been passing notes back and forth for what, three weeks now?"

"Four months and three days, Farkle," Lucas sighed at his roommate. "And she makes me nervous. I just don't want to mess this up."

"You're Lucas-freaking-Friar, straight A student, with a full ride scholarship! You're the star of the baseball team!" The smaller guy shouted. "You're the most confident guy I know, besides myself, that is. What the hell could go wrong?"

"I don't know..."

"Just _ask! Her! Out!_ "

"I might. Someday."

"Today!"

" _Hell no._ "

Farkle sighed. "You're impossible, you know that?"

* * *

 _This snow is insane. I almost fell in a ditch on my way over here. Be careful on your way out, avoid the park._

 _-Lucas_

Riley smiled and glanced out the window at the small white flakes falling. It's been constant snow for the past two days, but not enough to close down any roads or schools.

 _Yeah, hopefully it stops soon. I haven't been able to drive my buggie since it started. :(_

 _-R_

She slipped the note into a book and put the book onto Lucas's top shelf on the book drop off. She grabbed a few from her shelves and began to put them up.

 _Ring, ring, ring._

The brunette yanked her phone out of her back pocket to stop the loud ringing. "Hello?"

"Riles, _where the hell_ are you?"

"In the library. Why? What's wrong, Maya?" She whispered, even though no one was around for her to disturb. _Hey, she was still in a library._

 _"Party at Farkle's dorm! Get your ass over here ASAP, Bitchy Bratford is flirting with library boy!"_ With that, the blonde hung up, leaving Riley very agitated and confused.

She put her phone back in its previous spot and ran a hand through her hair as she thought. Lucas wasn't hers, nor had she ever made so much as a slight move. So why was her gut all twisted up and her heart yelling at her to run to that dormitory as fast as possible?

The next thing she knew, she was walking up the steps of the dormitory around the corner. She arrived in record time.

She walked into the building and headed to the roof where she could see bright lights and hear loud music. Maya was standing by the door, watching something like a hawk.

"Maya?" She asked, trying to spot what had her best friend's eye through the crowd.

"He's over there," She pointed across the room at a refreshment table. Riley saw Lucas next to Missy Bradford, arm in arm. "Bitchy Bratford is clinging onto him like a fucking wet shirt. Ugh, it's sickening."

The brunette didn't utter another word, she just walked straight up to Lucas and Missy... _with absolutely no plan,_ she realized upon arriving at her destination.

 _Uh oh_.

" _Go get 'em, Riles!_ " She heard Maya scream over the music from across the room.

"Riley?" Lucas smiled, looking almost — _relieved, was it?_ — while the girl beside him looked beyond irritated.

"Matthews." Missy grumbled, giving the other brunette a nasty once-over.

"Um, hey, Lucas." Riley smiled and tucked some of her hair behind her ear, desperately trying to think of what to say or do to get him away from Missy as soon as possible. After a moment too long of hesitating, she figured _might as well be straightforward.._

"Okay, so I-I know we haven't known each other for very long, but, um.. _crap_ this is hard." She wrung her hands as if trying to work the words out of her mouth. She took a deep breath before continuing. "Look, I don't want you with Missy, because...because I like you. A lot. And I think you like me to. I mean, I hope you do. And even if you don't, you still shouldn't be with Missy because she's a...a _total bitch_ and she won't treat you right. You deserve more."

Lucas looked at the girl clinging onto his arm and then at Riley, an unreadable look in his eye. "You came all the way over here just to tell me that?"

Riley couldn't find her voice so she just nodded. Missy was fuming.

"Lucas, don't listen to the little-"

"I like you too, Riley."

The said girl broke into a grin, a relieved laugh escaping her lips.

"Ugh! Fuck you both!" Missy's shrill voice shouted before she stomped off, causing both young adults to chuckle.

"You wanna get out of here? Maybe go grab a bite to eat?" Lucas asked, smiling and holding his hand out to Riley.

She nodded as she took his hand in hers and let him lead her out of the dorm. On their way out, she heard Maya scream "Way to go, Matthews!"

* * *

 _ **This isn't the last chapter! It's not over yet! I'm posting the last chapter on Thursday or Friday, so look out for that. :D**_

 _ **Until then, a review or two would be nice you know ;))**_


	3. Chapter 3

_This chapter is totally unnecessary but I thought it was a really cute moment to include? Idk. Just read it pretty please? :)))_

 _DC; I OWN NOTHING._

* * *

 _Epilogue;_

It was their last day working in the library; they were _graduating college_ in _two days_. _The next chapters of their lives started in two days._ Needless to say, they were both excited and anxious and everything else a person feels when graduating.

"I can't believe we've been doing this for fours years." Riley mumbled, her fingers brushing over a bookshelf and a wistful smile on her lips. "As weird as it sounds, I'm going to miss this job."

Lucas smiled and walked closer to his girlfriend of four years. "I know what you mean. But aren't you also excited?"

She nodded, putting her last book in its place. "Yeah. We'll be official adults in two days. No more school, no more teachers..."

"No more dorm rooms that smell like old fish and sneakers." He added, causing his girlfriend to giggle. "All done?"

"Yeah." She sighed, eyes growing misty.

"C'mon." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and began to lead her out of the library.

She spotted a single book on her shelf of the drop off as they passed it, and she looked up at her boyfriend with a sheepish smile. "We promised Miss Stewart that our shelves would be empty."

He just smiled and nodded, removing his arm as she went to grab the book.

The brunette opened the book and saw a note with familiar handwriting on it. Her jaw dropped. _Did it really say what she thought it did?_ Picking the note up and dropping the book in shock, she let her eyes scan over it a few more times to be sure it was real.

 _It was real._

It read _Riley, will you marry me?_

She turned around to find Lucas on one knee with a ring in his hand.

And to think, this all started with one little note.


End file.
